美国国家公共电台 NPR New York's Solitary Confinement Overhaul Gets Pushback From Union

 

STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

Here in the United States, some prison guards are defending the use of solitary¹ confinement². It's been controversial for centuries. As long ago as 1824, the Marquis de Lafayette, hero of the American Revolution, was shocked to learn Americans used isolation³ cells. He'd once been confined in solitary and considered it torture.

In recent years, Louisiana inmates⁵ have sued over isolation cells. Connecticut and Minnesota are debating restrictions⁶ on them. But New York correction officers are now saying why they need solitary confinement. Here's North Country Public Radio's Brian Mann.

BRIAN MANN, BYLINE⁷: In 2015, New York announced that it had reached a landmark⁸ settlement with the New York Civil Liberties Union which sued over New York's aggressive use of solitary confinement to discipline inmates. Five Mualimm-ak is one of the activists⁹ who pushed for the changes. He spent five years in solitary and says it left him broken.

FIVE MUALIMM-AK: When people say you survived solitary, it's like nobody survives that.

MANN: Governor Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat¹⁰, agreed to a multi-year process phasing in limits on the time inmates spend in isolation and improving conditions there. But in recent weeks, the powerful state correctional officer union has begun publicizing violent incidents where inmates assault prison staff.

MIKE POWERS: Creating dire¹¹ circumstances and unhealthy environments.

MANN: Union head Mike Powers argues the reforms are partly to blame. Without the threat of solitary confinement, he says, officers have less control. He cites state prison data showing the number of assaults on officers by inmates rose by a third over the last decade.

POWERS: It's basically given the inmate⁴ population a more brazen¹² attitude and recognizing that the consequences aren't what they used to be.

MANN: Prison reform advocates disagree. They point out the increase in violence took place before these reforms were implemented¹³. Some corrections experts say when guards use alternative methods of discipline, there are often fewer disruptions. Thomas Mailey, spokesman for New York's prison system, says violence against guards actually fell in 2016 as these reforms were being implemented.

THOMAS MAILEY: Millions of dollars have been invested in additional security staffing, technology upgrades and training, which we are pleased has resulted in a dramatic decline in assaults and injuries to our staff.

MANN: State officials say the effort to scale back the use of solitary confinement will go forward despite prison guard concerns. The New York Civil Liberties Union says the number of men and women held in isolation here has already dropped by about 25 percent. The Federal Bureau of Prisons and California's massive state system are implementing¹⁴ similar reforms.

But even those pushing for these changes say solitary confinement isn't going away in American prisons. A study released by Yale Law School estimated that on any given day, between 80,000 and 100,000 inmates are held in isolation cells nationwide. For NPR News, I'm Brian Mann.

1 solitary   

adj.孤独的，独立的，荒凉的；n.隐士

参考例句：

• I am rather fond of a solitary stroll in the country.我颇喜欢在乡间独自徜徉。
• The castle rises in solitary splendour on the fringe of the desert.这座城堡巍然耸立在沙漠的边际，显得十分壮美。

2 confinement   

n.幽禁，拘留，监禁；分娩；限制，局限

参考例句：

• He spent eleven years in solitary confinement.他度过了11年的单独监禁。
• The date for my wife's confinement was approaching closer and closer.妻子分娩的日子越来越近了。

3 isolation   

n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离

参考例句：

• The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。
• He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休后，生活比较孤寂。

4 inmate   

n.被收容者；(房屋等的)居住人；住院人

参考例句：

• I am an inmate of that hospital.我住在那家医院。
• The prisoner is his inmate.那个囚犯和他同住一起。

5 inmates   

n.囚犯( inmate的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• One of the inmates has escaped. 被收容的人中有一个逃跑了。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The inmates were moved to an undisclosed location. 监狱里的囚犯被转移到一个秘密处所。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

7 byline   

n.署名；v.署名

参考例句：

• His byline was absent as well.他的署名也不见了。
• We wish to thank the author of this article which carries no byline.我们要感谢这篇文章的那位没有署名的作者。

8 landmark   

n.陆标，划时代的事，地界标

参考例句：

• The Russian Revolution represents a landmark in world history.俄国革命是世界历史上的一个里程碑。
• The tower was once a landmark for ships.这座塔曾是船只的陆标。

9 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 democrat   

n.民主主义者，民主人士；民主党党员

参考例句：

• The Democrat and the Public criticized each other.民主党人和共和党人互相攻击。
• About two years later,he was defeated by Democrat Jimmy Carter.大约两年后，他被民主党人杰米卡特击败。

11 dire   

adj.可怕的，悲惨的，阴惨的，极端的

参考例句：

• There were dire warnings about the dangers of watching too much TV.曾经有人就看电视太多的危害性提出严重警告。
• We were indeed in dire straits.But we pulled through.那时我们的困难真是大极了，但是我们渡过了困难。

12 brazen   

adj.厚脸皮的，无耻的，坚硬的

参考例句：

• The brazen woman laughed loudly at the judge who sentenced her.那无耻的女子冲着给她判刑的法官高声大笑。
• Some people prefer to brazen a thing out rather than admit defeat.有的人不愿承认失败，而是宁肯厚着脸皮干下去。

13 implemented   

v.实现( implement的过去式和过去分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• This agreement, if not implemented, is a mere scrap of paper. 这个协定如不执行只不过是一纸空文。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The economy is in danger of collapse unless far-reaching reforms are implemented. 如果不实施影响深远的改革，经济就面临崩溃的危险。 来自辞典例句

14 implementing   

v.实现( implement的现在分词 )；执行；贯彻；使生效

参考例句：

• -- Implementing a comprehensive drug control strategy. ――实行综合治理的禁毒战略。 来自汉英非文学 - 白皮书
• He was in no hurry about implementing his unshakable principle. 他并不急于实行他那不可动摇的原则。 来自辞典例句